In 1952, during the Korean War, the United Steel Workers of America had gone out on strike. The union was demanding pay increases beyond what steel firms said they could afford to pay, unless they were to raise prices beyond what would be approved by the government’s Wage Stablization Board (set up for the war to attempt to keep costs in line despite inflationary government policies).
President Harry Truman, Democrat, unilaterally declared the steel firms to be at fault for the strikes, which were set to cripple Defense contractors’ ability to keep the war supplied. So, the President nationalized America’s steel manufacturing plants with the plan of dictating his own terms to the unions, appeasing them as part of his political base, while keeping afloat an early front of the Cold War.
The Supreme Court two months later shut the President down, denying the administration’s claim that he had broad implied or residual powers to do whatever he wanted as President of the United States. Had he relied on the Selective Service Act to take control, he might have gotten away with it, but he refused to use it because it had too many pesky controls to protect property rights. Had he relied on Taft-Hartley to stop the strikes, he might have gotten away with it, but he refused to use it because the unions were his allies.
So today, it is surely with the case of Youngstown Sheet & Tube co. vs Sawyer in mind that the Congress debates giving President Barack Obama, Democrat, sweeping authority over Internet Service Providers, including the authority to nationalize whatever Internet resources he declares to be important.
S. 773, a bill by West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller, Democrat, has a 55-page draft bill that would create new “emergency” powers for the President, a ‘cybersecurity’ Enabling Act of sorts, that would give the President the authority broad powers over any “non-governmental” computer networks, whether public or private, that are declared by the President to be “critical.”
On its own, this power is already dangerous, and even frightening to anyone in the industry. Whether large or small, we all who operate on the Internet invest in online capital. Large firms spend billions on the task, and now the Democrats want to nationalize it at the drop of a hat. This is threatened theft on a scale not usually seen outside banana Republics.
These powers extend beyond declared emergencies, however. Rockefeller’s bill would immediately grant the ability of the government to control hiring and firing of jobs related to these so-called critical networks, because the President could unilaterally declare that jobs related to those networks would be required to be filled by people certified to the task by the government. And much like with the car dealerships, the Obama administration is fully expected to use its power to favor political allies for these jobs by granting or denying certification depending on your level of donations to Obama for America or the Democratic National Committee.
Elections have consequences, and all those people who told themselves that Democrats would leave the Internet alone now have a lesson to learn regarding letting the scorpion of big government onto their backs. But it is not too late, and we all now can unite against the socialist threat now looming over the Internet.
The author is a contributing editor at RedState.com and a new media consultant available for hire. He can also be found on Twitter.

"Fairness Doctrine? We don't need no stinking Fairness Doctrine." nt
redneck_hippie Saturday, August 29th at 9:50AM EDT (link)Was there any mention of this specific bill during the Nutroots convention? Or is that like asking whether 2009 body counts in Afghanistan happened to come up in Holder’s plotting meeting for gutting the CIA’s effectiveness.
“We must not lose our faculty to dare, especially in dark days.” - Churchill in March, 1942.
Remember NY-23.
Back in Nov. of 08 Kit Lange made a few predictions.
Pastor Frank Monday, August 31st at 8:10AM EDT (link)I saved them for future reference. They are all coming to pass.
Kit Lange is an Air Force veteran and military writer who specializes in investigating murder cases stemming from actions in combat. Her work was used as evidence in the Lt. Ilario Pantano case, and has been quoted extensively in other news publications for other cases. In 2005, she co-wrote a 10-part series disproving war crime allegations against an elite Army unit; her blog, EuphoricReality.com, was named as one of the top 10 milblogs of the year. She is also the National Web Coordinator for Gathering of Eagles, a nationally-recognized troop support organization. Kit holds a degree in Aircraft Maintenance Technology from Spartan College of Aeronautics, and is currently working on a second degree in Aviation Technology Management. She has a website at http://euphoricreality.com, and her radio show is at http://blogtalkradio.com/frontline
Here is the article written by Kit Lange: (thanks again Kit)
Subject: What to expect with our new president?
Now that America has shown us all that affirmative action even works in politics, I’ve compiled a list of things that you can probably expect to happen. These predictions are 80% gleaned from information all of us have access to, and 15% gut instinct based on many years of research, historical study, and being glued to current affairs. The other 5% is just anger at my countrymen’s stupidity–I admit it.
-Websites and mass emails offering “free grants,” courtesy of the government and “Obama’s wealth redistribution.” Actually, this one’s a freebie, because I have an email with a date and timestamp of literally minutes after Obama was declared the winner, offering exactly that.
- Israel will understand this election was the end of any type of assistance, military or otherwise, from the U.S., and will stop holding back their defense at the request of the American administration. Look for a first strike on Iran soon, as well as increased activity by the Israeli military in general. Israel is on her own now, and God help us all because of it.
- Look for Iranian retaliation–against American targets. That goes doubly for other terrorist organizations. We just elected a man with the full endorsement of every major terrorist group in the world as leader of the free world. It’s the political equivalent of hiring a child molester to babysit your kids while you leave for the weekend. Not only is HE going to have fun with your child, but he’ll probably sit and watch while his friends come over and do it too.
- Look for far-left justices appointed to the Supreme Court, effectively tying up the entire government in a trifecta of liberal humanism, the buzzwords of which remain empty platitudes like “hope and change,” and the ultimate goal of which is socialism–and soon, sharia law.
- Military cases of troops being tried and convicted for killing the enemy in combat will continue to rise–and the conviction/plea-bargain rate will stay at nearly 100%, as the government seeks to use the best men and women this country has to offer as sacrificial lambs on the altar of global appeasement. Those brave and honorable men who currently reside in prison cells across the country, stripped of their rank, their careers, families, and their good name, will not taste free air again for many years. Their sacrifices and their stories will be forgotten by the general public, remembered only by those of us who continue to fight for them.
- Look for the slow but steady erosion of rights you have enjoyed for your entire lives–all the while being told it’s “for your own good.” Restrictions on gun ownership, home schooling, encouraged dependence on the ever-growing federal government. More nanny-state provisions will be put into place to protect the “disadvantaged” and the “poor,” (read: lazy, uneducated, unwilling to better themselves) even while groups like the unborn, the mentally handicapped, elderly, and terminally ill are slowly pushed toward euthanasia. Of course, this will be done with feel-good phrases like “death with dignity,” “not wanting to be a burden,” and “merciful release from suffering,” all of which ignore the basic fact that we are killing people without their consent for the “good of the people.” Before you tell me I’m crazy, let’s just remember that Barack Obama was the ONLY senator in the Illinois state senate to vote against providing medical care for babies who were inconsiderate enough to survive an abortion. Also, look for taxes to go up. Yes, they’ll go up.
- You think the economy is bad now? Just wait. You’ll have the most expensive “free” health care ever. Bread lines aren’t just for Russians anymore.
We have traded experience for color, freedom for slavery–and the irony is that the average American sheeple thinks their vote somehow righted an ancient wrong, somehow ENDED the spectre of slavery and ushered in some beautiful era of liberty. In reality, we are about to be less free than you ever thought possible.
I watched the faces of those crowded into the mob (excuse the pun) in Chicago. They stared at Obama like he was a god, an idol, a panacea to their every want and need. We have truly failed as a nation if we are at the point where we feel we must look to one man to take care of us all, to be our father figure and our sugar daddy. We have lost not only the “can-do” attitude of past generations, but the “MUST-do” attitude of our forefathers. We have allowed ourselves to become reduced from Patrick Henry’s proud cry of “liberty or death” to the sniveling, whining idea that we are owed something. We have gone from being the honorable defenders of freedom, to being told we are the problem.
The eyes of Obama and McCain were also telling. McCain acted with class and grace in his concession speech, offering the most honorable response I’ve seen yet. I don’t agree with all of McCain’s positions, but it cannot be denied that the man has served his nation–at permanent and severe detriment to himself–for half a century. His eyes were clear and sincere, honest. His speech underlined the very reasons why, of the two men offered, he was hands down the best choice.
On the other hand, Obama’s eyes were cold, calculating. His manner was smug and still carried the arrogance he has always had. His facial expression was one of barely disguised disdain for everything people like me believe in. His body language was smooth, polished–too much so. He talked of patriotism as though it is a value he is familiar with–and yet, his horrifying attitude toward the country he now leads is as well-documented as his friendships with those who seek its demise. He is charismatic to those who don’t know what to look for, and he is inspiring to those who cannot or will not think for themselves. However, too many who voted for him are guilty of the most dangerous kind of hypocrisy. You see, we are told daily that we must not see color, just mankind. (We are all family, you know–or so we’re told.) And yet Barack Obama was handed the White House on a silver platter by a fawning media, a bevy of foreign donors (who, to this day and in violation of U.S. election laws, remain nameless and unaccounted for), and a populace who voted based on color instead of right and wrong–even in the face of the most damning evidence against a Presidential candidate in many years, perhaps ever.
It is said that the people receive the government they deserve. Sadly, I fear that’s correct. We have become complacent, unwilling to see the writing on the wall, content to frolic in the warm water without bothering to notice that it’s been getting hotter by the minute. We are two seconds from a rolling boil–and perhaps it is already too late.
So, liberals, enjoy your victory. Jump around. Have a party, file for your free grants. Scream “Gimme my handout!” and make fun of those of us who fought to make sure your “messiah” didn’t get access to the most powerful position in the world. Just remember when it all comes crashing down: You own the White House, the Congress, and soon the Supreme Court. You have no one to blame but yourselves for the mess you just created.
Civil war is now in the very near future, don’t get on the train.
As for me, I’m buying my handguns this week so I have an answer for those who will come try to take them.
Kit
This could be worse than government health care
MathMom Saturday, August 29th at 10:10AM EDT (link)The internet is the lifeline of the Right. The Left has co-opted the major media outlets and all “news” magazines. ABC and NBC won’t air an ad opposing government-issued health care. Our way of getting the word out is by the internet. If Bambi takes that over, the US is over.
I do not trust this man. This must not stand.
He can have my Internet
Socrates Saturday, August 29th at 10:11AM EDT (link)when he can pry my gun from my cold, dead fingers.
By which I mean, the pen and the sword are two sides of a coin. The loss of either means the loss of both, and to save the use of one we may need to use the other.
–
Gone 2500 years, still not PC.
5 Socrates nt
mom2oneson Saturday, August 29th at 10:22AM EDT (link)The Founding Fathers started with the pen and the sword.
penguin2 Saturday, August 29th at 11:12AM EDT (link)So we come full circle so to speak. I had this very thought the other day when I first read about the threat to Internet use. I’m poor on the technology understanding, but not the thinking part. I thought, well we just have to break out the old pen and pencil. Our Townhalls are good examples of being able to resort to the “old way” of doing things.
At least the Conservative movement has leaders and is a repository for the principles our Founding Fathers stood for. Those that seek to destroy us will find that it is not the easy job they thought it would be. We have been free too long to just give it up.
They cannot silence our voices, nor our words.
Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God.
Benjamin Franklin
I'm definitely not a techo-wanker, but I do know a few things.......
Kenny Solomon Saturday, August 29th at 10:20AM EDT (link)…….first and foremost being that right now, Los Internetski here in the USA can be basically shut down by a few clicks of mice at the DNS servers.
With President Fascist-Jihadi and his merry band of unelected and unaccountable Communistas, there’s no telling what they’ll do, even without getting legislation through Congress.
BTW, Socrates, I’m stealing your lines for my e-mail sig….. fantastic quote in there.
Cheers !
Of course you can have my guns……. Bullets first.
I didn’t say rounds, shells or magazines……
I said bullets first.
"even without getting legislation through Congress"
livefreenh Monday, August 31st at 9:57AM EDT (link)That is the whole idea. Back when they were taking firearms from Katrina victims, there could have been no doubt that it was illegal. But they figured that it would all be sorted out by the courts after it was all over, and they were right. Those people who had their property stolen by the government were compensated by… HEY! By you and me, tax dollars! It didn’t cost the criminal anything. As usual.
To recap: government will do what “it” wants to and let’s all figure it out later. This may be why they are so afraid of people who choose to exercise their second-amendment rights. Often there is no opportunity for the criminal to “sort it out” after the fact. It requires them to obey the law in the first place, and this is not part of the current modus operandi of our officials.
And please don’t send my name to the White House for exercising my 1A rights either.
Beginning of a Tiered Internet...Bye Bye Net Neutrality.
americanmale Saturday, August 29th at 10:27AM EDT (link)The reality is that to implement this will require
a) Standardization of the IPv6 protocol such that advanced routing could be attained.
b) Implementation of a tiered network level where sites (banks, electric companies, etc.) deemed as priority national security targets would then be hosted such that routers could be modified on the fly to deny packet traffic from threat origination.
c) Implementation of a tiered network level hosting sites that contain personally identifiable information subject to Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards such that routers could be modified on the fly to deny packet traffic from threat origination.
d) Implementation of a tiered network level hosting commercial and non commercial sites that do not contain personally identifiable information
This is the beginning phase out of “net neutrality”. There will be Quality Of Service (QOS) issues along with possible byte metering. Don’t worry though, this can’t even begin to happen until 10 years from now. Government isn’t smart enough and “old” internet technology is too entrenched.
Join the RedState Strike Force
Interesting thought (nt)
Neil Stevens Saturday, August 29th at 10:29AM EDT (link)Want to run for conservatives? Give.
There Is No Crisis
Government isn't smart enough
GenEarly Monday, August 31st at 10:29AM EDT (link)Rule #1 Never disparage or underestimate your enemy. China has excellent internet controls aided by Google which happens to be a leftist and Obama supporting company. Yahoo is leftist also.
Can we have Truman back?
RedBeard Saturday, August 29th at 11:36AM EDT (link)Truman, with all his warts (and there were many), was a mere piker of a dictatorial player by comparison to this current administration gang.
Standard-bearer for grouchy curmudgeonry since, oh, 1975 or so.
Agree
Neil Stevens Saturday, August 29th at 11:38AM EDT (link)He was a bad as the rest on domestic policy, but he at least saw the clear difference between good and evil on foreign policy.
Want to run for conservatives? Give.
There Is No Crisis
His foreign policy ...
skorrent1 Saturday, August 29th at 5:50PM EDT (link)Gave us the Marshall Plan, which was good, but as CinC he gave us a blockaded Berlin and the first no-win war. Not so good.
Truman Foreign Policy
Neil Stevens Saturday, August 29th at 6:51PM EDT (link)He also dropped the bomb to win the Pacific war at much lower cost than it could have been.
And if you’re going to blame him for the Berlin blockade, you have to credit him with the Berlin Airlift which broke the blockade.
I have to think the Cold War’s a little harder if we can’t have troops deep in the DDR.
Want to run for conservatives? Give.
There Is No Crisis
Truman also got some other things right
SteveLA Saturday, August 29th at 6:59PM EDT (link)July 26, 1948: President Truman signs Executive Order 9981, which states, “It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin.” The order also establishes the President’s Committee on Equality of Treatment and opportunity in the Armed Services.
Coming from what was a Southern Democrat this was pretty amazing, and the right thing to do. I’ve always admired Truman for standing up to the Southern wing of his party on race issues in the late 40’s and early 50’s.
______________________________________
Competency over ideological purity
We must nip this in the bud
apollothree Saturday, August 29th at 2:12PM EDT (link)Otherwise, our first amendment rights are at risk. Now is the time for all good conservatives to come to the aid of their country!
What about online banking?
GOPMOM Monday, August 31st at 9:09AM EDT (link)I read in another article last week that this is not all about blogs and news but includes financial institutions that use online networks. I’m trying to find it but it directly quoted Rockefeller or Rockefeller quoting the bill and I’m sure he used the word “banking”.
Yes, some of us will fight over our loss of free speech but how many of us will totally lose it when we can’t get to our money? All it would take is one hint of
- a right-wing conspiracy to raise funds for a revolution
- terror funding (domestic or otherwise)
- market crash
- hyper-inflation
- any type of “bank run”
Without online networks, can you imagine how you will get access to your accounts? How long will it take for a bank to verify balances/checks/transfers? Sounds like a real crisis to take advantage of, no?
I find this aspect much more frightening than not being able to read RedState everyday. Because even on those days when I don’t have time to peruse the blogosphere for news, I can rightly assume Obama is absconding with more of our rights, Congress is stealing our money and the dictators of the world are plotting against us.
No Mention of Olympia?
GenEarly Monday, August 31st at 10:21AM EDT (link)Olympia (were her parents on a power trip or what?) Snowe, REPUBLICAN from the Great Socialist State of Maine is the CO-SPONSOR of this Bill! How could that have been left out? Most of the Senate Republicans are Progressive RINO’s. McLame, Grahmnesty, 2 gals from Maine, Voinibitch, Lugar, Spectre are the worst. Oh! Spectre left like Jumping Jim Jeffords(Vermont Republican) did. Wake up, the Senate Republicans will sell you down the river.